Any truth to this?

Q: I've had AT&T's unlimited-data plan since 2007, but the carrier cut off my service this weekend.

A: Yes, you've read a version of this question before.

In a July Help File column, I addressed a query from a reader who was charged an overage fee on an allegedly unlimited, data-only wireless plan. At the time, AT&T said this and other customers had altered their accounts in ways that kept them from continuing their service.

This time around, Harold Hamblet of Savannah, N.Y., hadn't changed anything since renewing his service i

It's true. Always a tough situation for customers. Like shutting down the legacy Cellular One network. Or ending support on certain types of services for people still using the Legacy AT&T wireless network (Not AT&T mobility) network.

Usually it seems like we wait until the subscriber impact is minimal, I don't recall what the impacted subscriber base was on this one, around 16,000 I think.

Bear in mind that this is for USB laptop dongle's only and this plan has been expired for a little over 3 years i believe.

Nothing as of now to indicate that. There are some plans i see on accounts from over 10 years ago so not everything gets eliminated.

Verizon's approact to elimitaing unlimited data seems a little different but may be more effective than at&t's from what I can gather.

4G phones will require a 4G data plan and there will not be an unlimited 4G data plan option. All well and good- for now- but fast forward 18 months and any quality phone will be 4G, no high end 3G phone will be available. Fastforward further- there might not be any nice 3G phones, like you can get a flip or a low end feature phone and that's it.

I remember when I started there was a pretty even split of 2 and 3 G devices. Now I think we carry like 5.

deepskyblue said:4G phones will require a 4G data plan and there will not be an unlimited 4G data plan option. All well and good- for now- but fast forward 18 months and any quality phone will be 4G, no high end 3G phone will be available. Fastforward further- there might not be any nice 3G phones, like you can get a flip or a low end feature phone and that's it.

AT&T will almost certainly do the same thing and require new data packages for LTE-based devices. It's the only step that really makes sense. The Sprint method of charging and extra fee for "more unlimited" isn't likely to be a durable pricing model.

Previous posters just hit a little bit of a nerve when I wrote that reply.

Companies end services like that plan for data cards all the time, not just AT&T. Verizon is still running GSM networks in some unicel areas. Will they forever? No. Is it extremely cost prohibitive to maintain those GSM networks for a minority pool of users? Yes. Will some of those customers be upset that they have to change phones/plans when they do shut it down? Absolutely.

Making a change like that doesn't mean unlimited data for smartphones is being ended. I would say at least for the immediate future it's highly unlikely. What's much more likely is that they will take the same approach verizon will and customers will opt out on t...(continues)

I think what might have happened here is he is one of those that uses volumes or an "excessive" amount of data. Which he is entitled 2 with his unlimited plan.

To save bandwith, I think those small percentage of customers who transmit numerous gigs of data are the customers att is trying to curtail....Those dozens and dozens of gig's folks per month.

What I don't get is att is on its way to be back on top of the customer total again. Why piss folks off or rock the boat if you don't have 2? This are customers happy with the service and didn't have any want or desire to switch. I have been doing this for 7 years and I don't get att's mentality at times.

Iselltheshitoutofphones said:I think what might have happened here is he is one of those that uses volumes or an "excessive" amount of data. Which he is entitled 2 with his unlimited plan.

To save bandwith, I think those small percentage of customers who transmit numerous gigs of data are the customers att is trying to curtail....Those dozens and dozens of gig's folks per month.

What I don't get is att is on its way to be back on top of the customer total again. Why piss folks off or rock the boat if you don't have 2? This are customers happy with the service and didn't have any want or desire to switch. I have been doing this for 7 years and I don't get att's mentality at times.

Good addition to my post. You have hit the nail on the head. I agree that Stan Sigmund and Randy Stevens have 2 different types of philosophies. I think the world needs a shot of "common sense" sometimes. From the goverment down.

I would beg to differ on B2B customer care. They are rude and brash and treat my like I have the plauge when I identify myself as an agent. I can get away with murder with "regular" Care.

this is a USB data card, not a phone. Pre 2008 it was unlimited and if you are not exceeding the 5GB soft cap every month, will remain unlimited with a soft cap....but if you start exceeding it month after month, they will move you to a 5GB capped plan with a charge for overages. That's what happened here.

Absolute truth to this, since I'm the referenced person. I did not have a soft cap- I have true unlimited. Soft cap was initiated after I signed up. As for excessive use, didn't happen. On EDGE network, was almost impossible to get to 5 gigs in a month. AT&T started this when they activated 3G in my area. In fact, I think all their antennae are now 3G. I have used as many as 9.5 gig in amonth, the first month after 3G was activated.

The NY state attorney general has a copy of all my dealings with AT&T concerning this, and the letter I received from that office recently told me the information was given to their internet fraud division. I'm waiting to hear back.

In the meantime, I still haven't changed my plan. And the AT&T webs...(continues)

When I posted this in the AT&T forum, I was very curious to see if this was standard operating practice for AT&T. For my employer (their competitor), there are purists within the company that are trained/paid to try to convert people off old unlimited plans, but they have to do it with consent. Those of us on the front line really don't care about changing to newer plans, because it does nothing for us either way. I've even run into people paying an old $80/mo for unlimited (before things went to $60), and I've given them the run-down on what they have versus what they might hear. If I had access to the old unlimited plans, I would probably stay on it too, even if I used nothing each month.

Oh, I do that constantly. As an employee of a company that searches it's employees online to be sure they're not divulging sensitive information, I take several precautions to be sure my personal name and my online presence, when necessary, do not match.

And, I just heard from the AG's office, dated May 9, 2011. Middle paragraph

"The issue you describe is one that we wish to bring to the attention of the company. To that end, we are forwarding a copy of your complaint and submitted document to AT&T for a statement of their position."

I empathize with gospace but the wireless customer agreement says AT&T can change anything anytime they want. If it's a material change that you're negatively affected by they notify you in writing and you may cancel without etf. That's exactly what they did. That's not to say I think it's fair, they're just not breaking any laws or even their own terms of service.

As for T-mobile customers they will probably some changes that require customers to change their plans. That has been the case for all the prior mergers.

That being said prices have been dropping for a LONG time. There are still of lot of grandfathered plans on AT&T from prior mergers. There was a period where the old plans were cheaper because prices went up when pla...(continues)

If your on an unlimited data plan you may keep it throughout your service as long as you do not request it to be changed to save money or for whatever reason. some people are being moved if they use a 3rd party app or their phone is jail-broken or rooted and using unlimited data to tether which is not included in the unlimited data plan. then att will notify you as a warning and then move you to $45 for 4gig of data plus tethering.